Of Birthdays and Byakugans
by caliking2
Summary: Hinata gets the present of a lifetime. NaruHina, some ChouIno, mentions of NejiTen and ShikaTema.


…**x NaruHina, some ChouIno, NejiTen, ShikaTema**

Waking up in the confines of her room, lit by the rising sun, Hinata decided today would be a good day. No, a _great_ day. She would not be brought down by her father's disapproving glare, her Neji-onii-san's over protectiveness, or be outshined by her younger sister, Hanabi.

Because today, you see, was Hinata's birthday.

Breakfast at the Hyuuga manor was typically the same, aside from the acknowledging glances and a 'Happy birthday, Hinata' from Hanabi. Hinata wasn't surprised; you gave gifts after breakfast as to not disrupt the strict scheduling that was set up.

After a quiet breakfast, the Hyuugas, besides Hinata, politely excused themselves to get their gift for the newly seventeen-year-old. It gave blue-haired girl a few minutes to come up with theories about what Sakura and Ino were going to do.

The two kunoichi had taken it upon themselves to throw her a party when they found out that birthdays weren't exactly celebrated in the Hyuuga household. The parties didn't go over the edge, but gave Hinata more attention than she wanted at any given moment.

She looked up when she heard her family coming down the stairs. Hinata waited patiently, because that's what a Hyuuga did, and gave Hanabi, who was the first to come down, a small smile.

When everyone had their gift, they placed them in front of Hinata and sat down in their seats at the table.

She decided to open Hanabi's gift first, then Neji's, and finally her father's (the order they came down the stairs in.) Her sister's gift was small, and rectangular, almost square, and beautifully wrapped in silver wrapping paper. After unwrapping it, she discovered a brand new book that she had been wanting to read, but never had the time to pick up.

"Thank you, Hanabi. I've been meaning to read this." Hanabi gave her older sister a smile. Next, was Neji's. His was a simple card, and in it were two coupons for free ramen at Ichiraku Ramen. Hinata's eyes widened at what he wrote.

_Thought you could use this with all the ramen you've been eating these past few days. Maybe, give a certain _someone_ the other? Just a thought._

_-Neji_

She glanced up at Neji, surprised.

"You're welcome," he said, smirking.

"T-Thank you…" Hinata barely got it out. Since he and Tenten had gotten together, secretly of course, he had lightened up some, and apparently, gotten a sense of humor.

Hesitantly, she reached for the last present, her father's. It was small, not wrapped, but sheltered in a wooden box. Hinata flipped the lid opened and found a gold, rounded locket. Gently, she picked it up and gazed at it in the sunlight.

"It was your mother's. There is a picture of you and Hanabi inside of it." Her father explained. Hinata's eyes started to water. Hiashi never mentioned their mother after she died giving birth to Hanabi.

"Thank you, father. It's beautiful." She placed the locket back into the box and cleaned up the gift wrap from Hanabi's present while the three other Hyuuga's left. She was supposed to meet with Sakura to give her Hinata's input on the party tonight in an hour or so, so Hinata hurried upstairs to get ready for the day.

Sakura, Ino, and Hinata were walking to Chouji's house in the cold, December air. The three kunoichis were all carrying bags of party supplies, much to Hinata's chagrin.

"A-Are you sure we need all this?" But they were too busy arguing over where to put the streamers at.

"We can't put them over the staircase Ino-pig! There's no way they would stay up there!"

"Chouji can use his jutsu to be able to reach and get them to stay, Forehead girl, duh." Sakura sighed.

"You've been using that excuse for everything, just because Chouji can stick them up there doesn't mean it'll look good!" Sakura and Ino continued bickering all the way to said Akimichi's home. The Hyuuga heiress didn't know why she put up with them.

Ino knocked on the door.

"Chouuuuji-kuuuuuun! We're here!" The girls heard someone coming to the door.

"I heard! Happy Birthday, Hinata," Chouji smiled at the girls and invited them in, giving a quick peck on the lips to Ino.

"Thank you Chouji."

"Just go ahead and put your stuff wherever. We can bring up a table to put the gifts on or something." Ino nodded and turned to Sakura and Hinata.

"Sakura can go get the cake while you, me and Chouji set up, sound good, Hinata?" The blonde nodded at the blue-haired girl.

"That's fine." Hinata replied; missing the subtle wink Ino sent Sakura.

"Alright, I'll just, be right back…after getting the cake." Sakura quickly hurried out of the house.

With that, Hinata, Sakura, and Chouji got to work setting up the decorations.

* * *

6 o' clock came faster than the teenagers realized. Chouji and his mom had the food all ready and prepared, Ino was busy fixing last minute décor, Sakura was upstairs wrapping their own presents for Hinata, and said Hyuuga was patiently waiting in the living of the Akimichi living room.

Just as everyone was finishing the last of their duties, they heard the first guests arrive, signaled by the doorbell. Ino shot Hinata an excited look and rushed to answer the door.

"Neji, Tenten, and Lee are here, Hina-chan!" She smiled as two shinobis and two kunoichis walked in.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HINATA-CHAN!" Lee bounded in, hugging the byakugan user until she was out of breath.

"Lee! Don't hurt the birthday girl!" Tenten scolded him, and went to pull him off.

"Excuse me, Hinata-chan! I was caught up with the fire of youth! YOSH!" Rock Lee gave his signature 'nice guy' pose while Tenten hugged and exchanged in small talk with Hinata.

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot to tell you, you can put the presents and stuff on that table over there in the corner!" Ino told the trio.

* * *

Pretty soon, almost everyone on the guest list had arrived. Shikamaru came after Team Gai with Temari, who had surprisingly brought only Kankurou, because Gaara had Kazekage duties back in Suna to be dealt with (Hinata thought he just didn't like the cold). After that, Kiba, Shino and Akamaru came, and then Sai. The only two missing were Sasuke, which explained itself, and Naruto.

Hinata tried to reason with herself that he may just of had some important training…or was on a mission. Although, she couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe it was just that he didn't like her enough to come. But that was just ridiculous, Naruto thought of every single one of them as friends, so why wouldn't he show up?

Nevertheless, she put on a happy face when she blew out the candles on her birthday cake, and opened the gifts from her friends. Lee had given her a green jumpsuit, much like his own (After years of trying to get someone to wear it, you'd think he'd learn). Tenten got her new, specially designed kunais, Shikamaru and Temari combined their gift, it being a special type of dessert made only in Suna. Kankurou got her a small puppet and offered to teach her how to control it. Her team mates, Kiba and Shino, bought her a charm bracelet with a paw charm already on it, and a book on the rare beetles of the Lightning Country, respectively.

"Okay, I think that's all the gifts, right Ino?" Sakura asked Ino to check, when she got the OK, she stood up at the front of the room.

"Since its Hinata's birthday and all, we decided to get her a little something special. So, if you will Chouji." The Akimichi came out from behind the wall pushing an enormous box covered in colorful wrapping paper. Hinata looked at everyone, who seemed to know a whole lot more than she did. Hesitantly she reached for the bow keeping the lid on. Once the bow was off the lid flew off, hitting Kiba in the face.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HINATA-CHAN!" There stood Naruto with nothing but his boxers on popping out of the brightly colored box.

Hinata fainted, hitting her head on a stray chair.

It would be weeks before she could play with her new present.

**A/N:** hoooogosh. This took way longer than it should have. Go lame title, GO! (Second in a row, too!) And I know Hinata's birthday isn't until December...but I just wanted to write it okayy? It would be awesome if you reviewww~ Happy one-day-late birthday, Sasuke! ~I hope all your wishes came truuuuee~ :D


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